Beauty Boxes

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It may seem crazy to spend 15 bucks on a mystery box of beauty samples, but paying twice that for one full-sized formula you haven't tried is even riskier. The beauty box is based on a simple idea&mdash;try before you buy. Subscribing to one will get you a monthly delivery of hair products, makeup, and skincare samples&mdash;think of it as the beauty version of the wine of the month club.

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Glossybox

The Cost: $21 per month
The Stash: Five samples
The Details: Luxury is the name of the game for Glossybox: you'll find quite large samples of brands like Estee Lauder and Oscar Blandi. The surprise selection is tailored to your profile. Bonus? Pay for three to 12 months in advance and you'll get a discount. Leandra Medine (a.k.a. The Man Repeller) and Glossybox teamed up this month to deliver her favorite winter products.

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Beauty Army

The Cost: $12 per month
The Stash: Six samples
The Details: Surprises not your thing? This is one of only two subscriptions that allow you to choose what you get. Take a quiz and choose six of the nine suggestions. (Retake the quiz to get new options.) Product sizes vary and you can skip months you don't like.

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Goodebox

The Cost: $16 per month
The Stash: Six to seven samplesThe Details: You'll get healthy and eco-friendly beauty samples in this surprise box, along with occasional wellness products, like supplements. The product sizes vary, and you can choose to get a box delivered monthly or every other month.

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Birchbox

The Cost: $10 per month
The Stash: Around five samplesThe Details: Each box is a surprise, with travel sizes and single-use packets matched to your profile. Love the sample? Buy the full-sized product on their website and earn points you can use for discounts on later purchases.

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Beauty Fix

The Cost: $50 every three months
The Stash: Eight full-size or travel-size samples
The Details: Instead of receiving small samples monthly, this one works every three months, with bigger samples delivered to your door. Every quarter you pick eight new products from an extensive selection, tailored to your profile. Sizes depend upon the brand, but you won't find any single-use packets in this box!

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Eco-Emi

The Cost: $15 per month
The Stash: Five to 10 samples
The Details: Beauty, lifestyle, wellness--anything green is fair game in this mystery box. Product sizes vary, and include eco-friendly, vegan, cruelty-free, and organic products.